HCM City (VNA) – The Ho Chi Minh City Economic Forum 2018 wasorganised on November 23, under the theme of “Fostering Interactive andInnovative Districts – The Prominent Role of Businesses”.

The forum aimed to discuss the role of enterprises inbuilding innovative urban areas and take delegates’ ideas to connect the State,entrepreneurs, scientists and financial investors in increasing the innovativecapacity and the efficiency of the reform of businesses.

Attending the event were Politburo member and Secretary ofthe municipal Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan, Chairman of the municipalPeople’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong, and over 600 delegates who are experts,scientists and representatives from enterprises.

Phong said that with its role as an economic force and oneof the largest cultural, educational, and scientific and technological centresin Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is striving for rapid and sustainable development,as well as working to improve its growth quality and competitiveness in linewith economic restructuring.

The city is also exerting efforts to ensure a favourablebusiness and investment climate for enterprises, while encouraging them to getinvolved in innovations and start-ups, he added.

Through this event, the city hopes policymakers, experts,scientists and entrepreneurs discuss and make proposals to effectively mobiliseresources from and bring into full play the 372,000 businesses in the localityto build an innovative urban area in the south of the city, Phong stated.

He pledged that the municipal authorities will try theirbest to make enterprises truly become a driving force for the building ofinnovative districts by continuing to speed up the administrative reform andensure a clear business environment and a transparent legal framework, aiming toprovide the best support for enterprises.

Within the framework of the forum, municipal authoritiesintroduced their policy to build the southern region towards an innovativeurban area to attract investment.

Initiatives and experience shared by participating experts,researchers and the business community were expected to help the city fulfillits set targets and obtain a deserving position on the world’s map of smart andinnovative cities.-VNA